February 26, 2017

Review: Rat Queens, Vol. 3: Demons

This is one of my favorite comic book series. I realize there is a bit of controversy about the original artist that I'm not going to get into. There's a new artist and colorist for this collection, and the artist, Tess Fowler, measures up fairly well, I think. (Although she does have a propensity for drawing outrageous breasts and buttocks, and the cover in particular is a teenage-male-gaze T&A fest. Come on. Betty the Smidgen was my favorite character previously, and all the more so here because she doesn't have bountiful cleavage and enormous knockers.)

This volume concentrates on the half-demon Hannah Vizari, and the Mage University she flunked out of (and, we find out, committed rather bloodier deeds during her stay there). Violet the dwarf is a bit neglected, but the human Dee and Betty--whose real name is Petunia Harvestchild; I'd go by "Betty" too--have their own substantial and funny storylines respectively. (Also, Violet and Betty should be paired more often. Their banter is delightful.) But the star of this show is Hannah. A great deal is revealed about her past, and the story ends at a very dark place: Hannah is embracing her demon side, and the Queens have broken up.

I don't at this time know if the series is going to continue. I hope it does, to resolve this cliffhanger if nothing else. (There is also an interesting little extra at the back, the story of Broog/Braga the orc. Although this one doesn't make a lick of sense artistically; Broog is definitely drawn as a male in the beginning, and at the end he becomes Braga, the daughter of an orc chieftain, with the aforementioned unfortunate huge breasts and no explanation. I know it may sound like I'm harping on this, but it gets tiresome, you know? Not all human females are double-Ds, and fictional women shouldn't be either. Especially when such large breasts would get in the way of their sword-wielding. Maybe some of these artists should investigate the original Amazon myth of the breast corresponding to their sword hand being amputated.) I think there is still a great deal that can be done with these characters, and I hope they'll be given a chance.